An anime fan's tastes pop up pretty early in the initial addiction phase. Whether it's shojo, harem, mecha or horror, it won't take long to become an expert on your topic of choice. When it comes to mine, I'm always drawn to chaos. What does the end of the world look like? How would I survive?

If something happens on December 21, 2012, my fandom has prepared me for the worst. For example, I've learned by watching anime that you're probably safer if you climb in a giant mech during the apocalypse. And that you may end up having to kill friends or loved ones. It's probably also highly likely that most of your battles will be fought flying through the sky.

"Akira," of course, is the ultimate vision of a dystopian world called Neo-Tokyo after the Big Bang. This beloved tale introduces us to Shotaro Kaneda and Tetsuo Shima, best friends in a messy tangle with a rival gang. The story evolves to include predictions of Neo-Tokyo's second destruction, Tetsuo's evolution into an esper with powerful psychic abilities, and - you guessed it - Neo-Tokyo being blown up for the second time. This is a must-watch for these dark days. After all, if anyone is left in your world after the big blow-out, it's pretty likely you may run into a gang or two, so bone up on your defense skills.

When it comes to the end of days, there's probably no better training manual than "X/1999". This manga-turned-anime from highly respected studio Clamp is about a young man named Kamui Shiro who holds the fate of humanity in his hands as the world teeters at the edge of the apocalypse. As superhuman beings called the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth gather in Tokyo to face off against one another, they vie for Shiro's allegiance to their respective cause. It gets pretty epic in the end, and who knows if you'll ever find yourself in a situation quite like this one - but it can't hurt to be well versed in the possibilities just in case one does need to defend the universe from ultimate destruction.

If you always worry that one day robots will become self-aware and use their far superior intellect to wipe out humanity (or perhaps they are already outside tapping at the windowsill,) "Casshern Sins" will help you prepare for the worst. This reboot of the "Casshern" franchise spins the tale of a world ruled by cyborg warriors, led by a foreboding tyrant named Braiking Boss. A mysterious girl named Luna appears to fight for humanity's salvation, but she is killed by the cyborg Casshern, an event that triggers the end of the world. In the aftermath, Casshern must journey to realize what he's done and who he is. He's a cyborg and everything, but you know, he needs to dig a bit deeper.

While robots could invade, you really aren't ready to climb into the cockpit of a giant robot and face the real deal unless you've seen "The End of Evangelion." This conclusion to the immensely popular "Neon Genesis Evangelion" series draws a futuristic universe where hostile beings called Angels are pitted against giant robots, or "mechs" called Evangelions, which are piloted by human beings. "The End of Evangelion" sees our main characters in their final stages, culminating in the world-ending Third Impact (an event predicted by the Dead Sea Scrolls earlier in the series.) After this event, the world supposedly should see a new plane of evolution and existence, but they'll have to start from scratch to get there.

Is that a dead guy beating on the door with his own disembodied arm (or perhaps someone else's)? Zombies, of course, are an essential part of every end of the world scenario. If you haven't already seen "High School of the Dead," it just might come in handy at a time like this. It throws you headlong into the world of a group of high school students who are desperately struggling to survive after the zombie apocalypse has begun (known as the "Outbreak"). As society falls to pieces at their feet and their morals are put to the test, they do their best to hold it together, which I suspect you will do, too, if you find yourself in this situation. Don't forget, the zombies are slower than you.

Equip yourself with this informative anime and you'll be able to deal with what could come to pass this December. In 12 months' time you'll be able to walk outside your door and boldly face the apocalypse.

soundoff(101 Responses)

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February 11, 2013 at 8:37 am |

Ken-Oh

When speaking of anime with apocalyptic settings, how can ANYONE possibly forget the 1983 classic Hokuto no Ken (i.e. "First of the North Star")?

January 20, 2012 at 9:58 am |

Voltigeur07

THANK-YOU! I'm Reading this article and dont see anything regarding Fist of the North Star! Wha?!

January 26, 2012 at 5:04 pm |

DZA

+1!
How about Robotech? The Earth goes epic bye-bye by the Zentraedi, the Robotech Masters and the Invid.

January 27, 2012 at 5:21 pm |

LocNar

"A Wind Named Amnesia" – not so bad Anime with global apocalypse.

January 11, 2012 at 7:30 am |

Renee

Good overview really...I love Casshern and Eva has been a favorite of mine since the late 90s.

Of course there can't be a complete list in an article like this! It gives you enough to then go and start investigating on your own, as well as a pretty good and diverse selection that can appease many, from having the bisshies to the mechs.

January 10, 2012 at 2:02 pm |

Really?

Happened*

January 10, 2012 at 11:36 am |

Really?

Wow, i remember when animes were not so odd... Whatever happed to Tri-gun or Cowboy Bebop??

January 10, 2012 at 11:35 am |

KaosuOokami

Yes, because a story set in the future about genetically engineered plant-people brothers in a struggle for the fate of humanity on a planet other than earth, that devolved technologically from the original colonists, is perfectly normal.

January 15, 2012 at 9:07 am |

Bernie

lol probly the best pitch i've heard for trigun

January 17, 2012 at 7:42 pm |

SCDad

You left lolicon off the list!
But High School of the dead is lolicon, so nevermind

January 9, 2012 at 10:57 am |

634ylk5ht

"But High School of the dead is lolicon"
The hell have you been smoking?

January 10, 2012 at 11:49 am |

TheAndriconBoy

A lot of people are commenting on Anime that they think should be included, but what they suggest doesn’t really fit the theme of the article.
Big-O, FotNS, Nausicaa, and others are about a world that has ALREADY ended, and not about one coming to an end. These series/movies describe the attempts of humanity to rebuild civilization from the detritus after an apocalyptic event, and are not about how the end is to come.

Urotsukidoji and Genocyber would be better choices.

January 9, 2012 at 9:24 am |

Anon-kun

Technically, in Evangelion the world had already ended too. Then it ended again. And in Rebuild, it'll likely be revealed that it's ended several more times since.

January 23, 2012 at 8:45 pm |

johnkeating

One thing I've noticed about manga/anime over the years is, many of them, but not all, have this anxiety-provoking quality, especially the ones about tragic and romantic love, that I find both bothersome as well as riveting, much like the effect that the movie 'The English Patient' had on me. I'm sorry, but it's as if it's triggering some sort of co-dependency reaction in me, which I think is not exactly healthy. I don't know if others have similar emotional responses to these types of films, but I for one find it a tad manipulative. I suppose it demonstrates the creators' cultural ideals and mindset, or maybe it says something about my own psychological triggers. shrugs

January 7, 2012 at 11:37 pm |

____________________

Anime for the Obamalypse.

Where are all the jobs?

January 7, 2012 at 8:32 am |

Jim J

I prefer pantsu.

January 7, 2012 at 7:12 am |

Doug Shiloh

There is nothing but Now.

January 7, 2012 at 6:42 am |

Adam

Grow up

January 7, 2012 at 6:07 am |

suzaku

How can you post an article of this nature, an NOT mention Future Boy Conan (未来少年コナン, Mirai Shōnen Konan)
? Hayao Miyazaki's first series, per-dating all his movies. A series he made in 1978 about the life of a boy named Conan after the world was nearly destroyed in 2008😮

January 7, 2012 at 6:48 am |

station wagon

I foresaw something in the future .... The Whale Planet... Ocean planet. Whales can artificially communicate the intelligent internet and able to play mind games with humans. This take place January 12, 5998 D.E. The word D.E means Discover Era. Whale Planet looks like Dumbell planet. The whales can find lost great great great grand mommies and grand daddies.

Transport Whale to another planet cost more than today's budget.

January 7, 2012 at 3:36 am |

unafy

12-21-12

January 7, 2012 at 2:58 am |

JL

Crackpots have been declaring the world is about to end every couple of years for the entire history of civilization, and only retards believe in them. Congrats.

January 7, 2012 at 2:34 am |

Bill

And civilization has been plunged into chaos and darkness numerous times throughout history. If you believe His Story, that is. Anyways, there's always the fools that think their place in time is invulnerable to any sudden changes.

I don't believe any of the "2012 Prophecies" will come true. But I have no doubt the themes are going to be used by the ruling class to take advantage of people. It's the last big prediction date.. will take decades to gear society up for another one. Would be a terrible "crisis" to let go to waste.

January 7, 2012 at 7:16 am |

Ray in Vegas

Good point, Bill! Prophesies are not just harmless predictions .. they are often self fulfilling. Gee thanks .. I wasn't worried about 2012, but now I am.

January 7, 2012 at 11:45 am |

Greg

You refer to the end of all so called apocalypse as something retards embrace.Think about this! I dare you to sit back and truly, realistically assess the history of the world and ask yourself these questions?

1) What civilization or empire has EVER permanently endurerd in love, happiness and success? Remember, you can't use the United States as we are only a couple of hundred years old, a baby in terms of age regarding any civilization. We are still in the experimental stages and given this how do you think we fare against Rome which lasted 600 years?

2) When in histoy have civilizations not ended in absolute catastrophe for its people and existence?

3) You seem to be one basking in fantasy rather than in factual, foundational reason. History shows nothing less than perpetual devastation for mankind, one civilization, region or country at a time. All it would take for an apocalypse to unfold would be for all to fail simultaneously.
As far as evidence that we will be the first civilization in history to avoid destruction, exactly what evidence can you provide?

In regrds to people who insist on eventual doom? Maybe they are the only ones with a true foundation for their beliefs with the most realistic expectations? Ironically, they are the ones who have based their expectations on facts while most others thrive in fantasy with absolutely no proof or foundation supporting their belief "everything will be fine". It seems to be the "because" syndrome.
I think realistically most people cannot handle reality, thus promote fantasy calling it "positive thinking". One can think positive all they want and it will never result in the eradication of greed and hate characteristic to man. It is fantasy to think these negative characteristics will somehow disappear thus you have the history of the world that will continue as reason would indicate.
Not to say there is no reason for us not to try as long as we also see the reality of the picture. Perhaps in our quest to succeed it should be an absolute requirement to stare reality right in the face? I'd say without doing so our efforts are worthless.

January 7, 2012 at 8:09 am |

Hannah

As a long-time fan of anime myself, I find this article extremely lacking. I mean, it's really great that we're getting the word about this fantastic entertainment out there someway, but I feel like this article cheapens it. I'm sure the writer is a true fan of anime as well, and I commend him for having this published. However, when those that have no idea what this is about read it, they will not find it engaging or informative or anything of the sort, but rather they'll use it as another piece in the "Anime is Stooopid" campaign. I just... I don't know, I'm disappointed.

January 7, 2012 at 2:09 am |

Abby

I liked Gilgamesh, too.

January 7, 2012 at 2:08 am |

Csiko

My hobby appears to be going mainstream. Not to sound all hipster-like or anything.

I think better than apocalypse animes, are time travel apocalypse animes. Where the future is postapocalyptic, but the present isn't ... yet. The series "Noein" comes to mind. I really like that series, check it out if you haven't. The art is rough around the edges but the story is awesome.

January 6, 2012 at 11:44 pm |

Bruno

And yet, the author forgot to mention the best one of them all (imo): Ergo Proxy

January 6, 2012 at 11:40 pm |

Bob

meh, that show bored the crap out of me. maybe 4 spoken lines in the first two episodes?

January 7, 2012 at 12:20 am |

LancerSykera

Starts out slow, yes, but friggin worth it in the end.

January 7, 2012 at 6:24 am |

Punk

Ok, as a big anime AND apocalypse/post-apocalypse fan, I didn't like Akira, Casshern Sins, or Evangelion. However, there are some (in my opinion) much better apocalypse animes out there that aren't listed:

-Desert Punk (lewd, crude, but a hilarious view of a future world)
-Voices of a Distant Past (a little quick, but very pretty and fun)
-Birdie the Mighty (aliens and awesome with an interesting premise)
-FLCL (zany, aliens, robots, guitars, awesome)

Those are just the few I can think of, but all deal with threats of apocalypse or the end of the world and are much better than the stale stuff above.

January 6, 2012 at 11:39 pm |

Punk

Just thought of another: Wolf's Rain. Very good blend of an arctic future blended with pagan mythology. It is a little corny and fairy-ish at times though.

I literally just finished watching 'X' before reading this, and I feel completely duped. How did that get 4 stars on netflix? really? I mean really? Am I the only one?

January 6, 2012 at 11:24 pm |

Bob

no your not the only one. but hey..Twilight is popular.

January 7, 2012 at 1:27 am |

sevenzarkseven

"X" was unwatchable. I don't get the love either.

January 9, 2012 at 10:54 am |

Daniel

djmaster69 on October 24, 2011 I just got my iPad 2 and I am tlaltoy blown away. My MacBook pro is sitting in the corner and I haven not missed a beat Glad I haven not bought it and got it For FREE, my cousin received his ipad 2 for free too lol. The web address, if I remember correctly, was: freeipad2giveaways.info

March 4, 2012 at 10:04 pm |

John

Actualy it isnt just the Mayans who say the world as we know it today will end 12/21/12 so do the Hopi Indians and the Chinese I ching. The Mayans say it will end with water, the Hopi with fire many of them believe nuclear fire. The only thing I can think of that we know of that could cause both tsunamis and firestorms would be an asteroid hitting an ocean. However if and when something cataclismic ever happens I am betting it will be something we have no knowledge of and will take us totally by surpise.

January 6, 2012 at 11:23 pm |

James Morton

What can cause both fire and water is an outburst of solar radiation striking earth. The hemisphere pointed toward the sun gets heated and faces fire and drought, and the other hemisphere receives all the moisture boiled off the other side, causing torrential downpours of apocalyptic proportions. This is not my idea, it was proposed by Fulcanelli.

January 6, 2012 at 11:38 pm |

Mobo1984

My money on just another day and a whole new list of when it all gonna end

January 6, 2012 at 11:51 pm |

feloniousmax

Actually the Mayans never said anything about the world ending by water or any other means on 12/21/2012, it is just the end of their long count calendar for that cycle...akin to our 12/31 each and every year...end of calendar not end of world.

January 7, 2012 at 12:20 am |

I believe everything I am told

You do not know squat about Mayans or their history. Mayans never claimed anything about Baktun 13, it is all made by non-Mayans making money, lying about Mayan culture. My guess is you never met a Mayan. As for the article and comments: lame in fantasy land, go back to your VR helmet for reality check.

January 7, 2012 at 1:15 am |

Jon

I always feel better about myself and my Intelligence level after I read an article like this... Then, I feel even better after I read the comments... I'm surprised most of us still don't worship the Sun.

January 6, 2012 at 11:19 pm |

James Morton

"Call me old fashioned but I still believe there is only one true God. And he lives in this lake. And his name is Zorgo."

January 6, 2012 at 11:48 pm |

Bob

all hail Zorgo. lets sacrifice the non believer.

January 7, 2012 at 1:22 am |

Gendo

The only anime I've ever watched is Neon Gensis Evangelion. And believe me when I say that the finale, End of Evangelion, is one of the most surreal experiences I've ever witnessed. Basically Darren Aronofsky on steroids material. Highly recommended to anyone interested in a quality, tragic/bittersweet story no matter your opinion on anime.

January 6, 2012 at 11:15 pm |

Bob

turned out that way because they ran out of budget btw. hopefully you watched the two films that actually conclude the series. also its been remade and condensed, for the better, for theatrical releases. first two movies are out and they are fantastic. they cover maybe 8 episodes?

January 7, 2012 at 1:24 am |

Larry

People need to realize that 2012 is fake. The Mayans couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag, hence why they were curb-stomped by the Spaniards.

January 6, 2012 at 10:38 pm |

Yossarian

I agree that 2012 is fake. The rest of your post is trash, however.

January 6, 2012 at 10:48 pm |

Joshua

Yes, because if aliens came with laser guns and killed all of mankind, not one thing we made was any good, Cars, telephones, none of it was worth sqawt

January 6, 2012 at 11:14 pm |

Punk

The Mayans died out long before the Spaniards ever came to the New World. You're thinking of the Aztecs.

January 6, 2012 at 11:20 pm |

John

Actually archaeologists recently discovered thanks to satelite imagery that the Mayan civilization was vast with many roads, reservoirs, irrigated farmlands etc., and makes our western civilization look puny in comparison and theirs lasted centuries longer than ours has been around. They had advanced mathematics and astronomy equaling our own. It is unknown why they suddenly left their many cities, The same thing happened in indonesia too. btw they are plenty of Mayans still around I am 1/4 myself.

January 6, 2012 at 11:29 pm |

James Morton

The only thing ending on 12/21/12 is the 12th "baktun" cycle of the mayan calendar. We are about to enter the 13th baktun, with six more baktuns after that before the next higher number increments. So by that fact 2012 doesn't seem like a big deal, it's just one digit on an odometer rolling over. That is, until you realize that we've been in the 12th baktun since 3114 B.C. which is around the time myths all over the world recount devastation and the beginning of a new civilization. Hence we must ask ourselves, what will the next ten years bring?

January 6, 2012 at 11:41 pm |

Punk

Right, by "died out," I meant the civilization, not the people. Most Mayans likely were absorbed into the various tribes that emerged later, including the Aztecs.

January 6, 2012 at 11:49 pm |

JJJ

Really John? A portion of Central America makes North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia look puny? Have you ever looked at an atlas? They had advanced mathematics and astronomy equaling our own? Either you are wrong, or the Mayans were incredibly lazy to have all that technology and not build a single thing commensurate with modern western technology. Where are the remains of their space program? Where are the remains of their power grid and computers. Where are the remains of a single piece of ground glass with any magnifying power, let alone the remains of a telescope.
Don't say stupid things about your ancestors just to make you feel better about your failed life. They had paved roads, irrigation and understood seasons around 500 A.D. Perhaps you missed the memo on Rome or Greece or China?

Nice use of your webpage space. There are real issues in the world and you feature this. You wouldn't give OWS the time of day. You completely ignore NDAA. But this is a featured story. CNN is a rag.

January 6, 2012 at 10:36 pm |

Mike Rotchitches

Not to mention falling all over yourselves to ignore Ron Paul. Like him or not, bona fide presidential candidate or not, you should cover him with as much respect as any other candidate.

January 6, 2012 at 10:38 pm |

celtichunter7

The reason Ron Paul is ignored is because he is a lunatic. His supporters say they 'will crawl over miles of broken glass' defending him. Now listen children, that is what 'Meth' does to the human brain and body. RP needs to be in a rubber room with computer monitors hooked up to tubes feeding into every orifice of his petrified body. Physio-Psychic Nano-bots are then released that have assigned tasks of restoring this ganglia zombie to a lobotomy catatonic state for the remainder of his pathetic life.

January 6, 2012 at 11:04 pm |

Punk

Uh, this is "Geek Out." A section devoted to the nerdy and techie. What did you expect?

January 6, 2012 at 11:23 pm |

James Morton

If you want to watch a good apocalypse show, just wait two years after someone other than Ron Paul takes to the White House. You'll be able to see the mushroom clouds from your back window.

January 6, 2012 at 11:43 pm |

Yossarian

End of Evangelion: a lifetime of psychological damage in a convenient 90-minute package.

January 6, 2012 at 10:33 pm |

MisaHayase

Other Left out Anime:
Macross/Macross: Do you Remember Love
Mospaeda (is that the right spelling)
The Southern Cross
All three of the above were short series, and combined into Robotech
Megazone also comes to mind, as well as Kaze no Tane no Nausicaa (Nausica of the Valley of the Wind)
These are all old school before anime became mainstream.
If the end of the world comes, I really look forward to seeing Renji and Rukia in the Soul Society. (BLEACH)

January 6, 2012 at 10:33 pm |

David

Great examples MisaHayase. Megazone 23 and Valley of the Wind are indeed two epic examples of the end of the world. Though, granted you don't find out that the Megazone populace are living in a post-apolicpitic future until towards the end....just in time for their to be another apocalypse.

January 7, 2012 at 1:38 am |

jairo

Berserk...

January 6, 2012 at 10:29 pm |

oneSTARman

AZOTHOTH mindlessly writhes at the center of the Abyss of space and sings Cthulhu's Call

January 6, 2012 at 10:24 pm |

poopmeister

Also, the classic Demon City Shinjuku

January 6, 2012 at 9:56 pm |

Ed

Where's Fist of the North Star?

January 6, 2012 at 9:50 pm |

Jeff

Exactly! Hokuto no Ken should be aired on Saturday mornings....the kids must be warned of what awaits them if Rick Santorum's crazy ass gets elected. YURIA!!!!!!!

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